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Food & Drink

Best Place for Cocktails

Lola

Readers' Choice:
Eclipse Restaurant

No matter your mood when you walk into Lola, something about the place makes you want to enjoy a drink. The crucial word here being "enjoy." The old movies flickering on TVs above the bar and the live music (an eclectic mix: jazz, singer-songwriters, DJs) relax your brain, while the friendly staff settles your nerves and the libations poured by bartender Matt McMullin remind you that even here, in the heart of the loft district, cocktails are meant to be savored, not pounded like Jäger bombs. McMullin's cocktails manage to be both classy and fun. There are topnotch top-shelf margaritas such as the "Castro," made with Dos Lunas añejo tequila, Cointreau, fresh lime juice and a floated shot of Grand Marnier, but there's also a section of the menu labeled "Boat Drinks," which features the kind of rum-based libations you might enjoy on a Caribbean beach. The concoctions named for downtown loft buildings are often splendid, such as "The Printer's," a refreshing mix of Maker's Mark and ginger beer with a dash of bitters. With enough time at Lola, you may feel unhurried enough to drink your way through the entire geography of downtown.